Badwolf
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Thanks Doug. Yes, I saw the original posts. I was wondering about insulation of the 12v feed at the back of the box in case of an accidental short. I think daisy chaining insulated Lucar connectors was dismissed as messy but I was just wondering how others had done it, or just left it to chance. I just have visions of finding the back of the box while poking around with a screwdriver and shorting the positive side of the back of the box to earth.
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Ok Pete, thanks. I will strip out the spring and just make good for the time being. When the paint job has been done I need to refit the steel bonnet instead of the fibreglass one, so I suppose the extra weight will change the way things sit so I will reconsider everything at that point. The new spring should have had a proper chance to bed in. I could always borrow some bags of sand from B&Q and take them for a ride out!! Next job, on with the new fuse box. -
If it absorbs moisture then dry it out well. Hair dryer, heater, long hot summer. My top coat started flaking due to coating over damp primer.
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Ok. So now after a day of checking out the leaf spring, finishing off the pre-mot jobs and fighting with the new headlight relays (chronicled on another thread), I have turned my attention to installing a new fuse box as outlined on AidenT's very useful thread. The re-paint is on hold for the short term but I think that I now have all the kit that I need to start shortly but other things are getting in the way, so apologies to the few of you who are following this thread, I will get on to it very shortly.
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Yes it is and I believe that you have fitted the same one. ..... and I've already done the grass, the greenhouse, fixed the treliss and set out the bedding plants, sorted the headlight relays and an mot prep... over to you!!! You love it really. You, Pete and the rest of the team wouldn't be happy unless you were helping someone, admit it.
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Got the same one as Aidan from Vehicle Wiring Products but all the terminals are individual hence the need for the 12v busbar for each side.
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TIN HAT ON - READY TO DIVE FOR COVER!!! I remember going to my local garage to buy oil and just got the cheapest that was on offer. Incredibly I found, in the shed last summer, a bottle of oil branded (I think) Texaco priced at £2.95 for 5 ltrs. I have no idea what grade it was or how old it was, probably based on molases, but it came from a garage so it must be good and it was cheap. Turned out the bottle was full of used oil from an oil change long ago. Not even good enough for the lawnmower.
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Doug - Your job will never be done here, on this forum, as long as you draw breath. I am now looking to update the fuse box which I know you did some time ago. Already posted a question on AidenT's thread. Here we go again!
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Hi AidanT - Just getting around to emulating your excellent project but before I start, can you tell me how you created the busbars for the 12v in. I assume that you linked all the centre contacts together and fed them from a single 12v feed. Did you just solder/wire the contacts together or run a strip of copper along. Also how did you insulate the 12v to prevent an accidental short. I think that everythng else is covered in tbe thread. Any extra pictures of the back would be useful please.
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Thanks Johny, will have a look.
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So, do I, don't I??? Do I just leave the spring to settle, for the mileage I do, is it worth it. But, while the spring is out should I do it??!! If I need to replace damaged parts should I order one and if so what size. Is the world flat or the moon made of green cheese (those last two are not serious questions, its bank holiday, the tv is off to avoid the news and the sherry is open!) Is there anyone else out there who has changed their leaf spring, did you use a lowering block, did it work/improve things or cause problems of any kind. Do I really want the extra agro... pass the bottle please.
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Doug. Not been out to garage to check, but if its one relay for each headlight and both relays are giving the same problem, it sounds more like my wiring. Plus I have noticed that the main beam warning light is on full for main beam and about half brightness for dipped which looks like some sort of back feed. It may be enough to keep the main beam section of each relay enerigised and not release it to switch back to the dipped section. When I turn the lights off an on again the relays reset. EDIT - Sorted it (without resorting to the amber nectar). The problem was with the blue and black leads. In the case of my unit the earth is the blue one. I had wired the black one from the relays to the loom as the earth, which is where the back feed was coming from and why it didn't work. If anyone else gets one of these take care when wiring up as the convention of black being the earth doesn't always work and 'instinct' takes over. Thanks for your patience Doug.
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Fairly obvious now, but I am having a bad day. I see that Canleys do various sizes. Do I really need one and if so, which do you recommend. I will however, wait until I get the spring out before ordering anything so that I can see if the cowboys have done any other damage that I need spares for ...like a new bottom plate which looks a bit bent and may not straighten very well.
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Thanks Doug. An obvious start to problem solving but what with the problems with this and the suspension my brain is no longer working. I do suspect a duff unit considering the price.
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Right. All info filed away ready for the wet weather. Can you explain the use of a lowering block please. I have read about them on various threads but never thought that I would need one. Bear in mind the spring and associated hardware appeared to come from a Mk3 Spitfire, which was fitted by a previous owner or even as a 'left overs' on the assembly line. Hence why I had such a hard time a. getting the new spring and b. being informed by the garage that the new one didn't fit (before they bodged it) and had to do a rally run to Chester for the mounting fittings before the 14 day MOT limit ran out for the retest the next day!
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Sadly spoke too soon. Works well on dip, then on to full but when I switch back to dip the lights remain on full. Turning off and on again resets to dip. Will this be my wiring.. looks OK or a faulty relay in which case, its back to the old system for the time being.
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Thank Mjit. I will keep you all posted on what I find when I strip it down on the next wet day after this coming weekend. What turns up may help others who have fallen foul of 'The Professionals'.
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.. and it works!!! On test that is, with a temporary lash up. Needs a slightly better earth though. The earth leads from the existing lamps looks a little on the thin side so I may run a thicker lead in due course. Just need to sort out a decent lead from the battery because, as you say Doug, the one supplied is a little on the short side. One other point is that on my kit the blue lead is earth from the H4 fittings, black to the high beam but apart from that, as usual, thank you everyone especially Doug. Off to look for some heavier wire now and some cream for my burned fingers (soldering iron slipped!!)
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Doug - That is just what I need and you have preempted my next question which was, where is the most suitable place the connect the permanent live and will it need extending. I have just finished soldering new bullets on the wires and just about to try it out. Wait for the bang!
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Doug - I swapped my sealed beam units with the pods and halogen bulbs fitting 25 years ago off an old toyota I was getting rid of. A marked difference at that time. Now after following your recommendation I got the convefsion relay off fleabay but now worried about fitting it correctly.
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I don't see why the bullet connectors don't look neat, that's what's on there now unless I have got it wrong. I just don't want to switch on and get the sound of fried eggs and the smell of scorched wiring. I suppose that with bullet connectors on each wire and ditch the H4s entirely, it will be easier to return to original if I need to. I assume that you have had no trouble with your fleabay unit? For my own peace of mind can someone explain how these work please. I understand the connectors to thd headlights. The main connector picks up the swiched power rom the dash but what does, in this case, the single fused red wire do? Is this the energising permanent live for tge relay units? Fairly obvious to you sparkies but just a bit worried about 3 live leads (main beam, dipped beam, perm live) going into one unit.
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Well its sitting on the bench in front of me, so I though that I might as well fit it.
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Ok thanks. Just as a final extra, until I do the repair, looking at the metal access cover above the spring, I can see insulation on the inside of the car and only one self taper has actually been screwed in correctly. What is more worrying is that this garage put the spring in wrong and then gave the car an MOT. Beyond belief, but links with the other thread about poor quality MOT stations. Sadly this MOT station gave the car her first MOT after I bought her and had MOT'd her all the time she was on the road. As mentioned, the first one after she was recommissioned. They have also looked after all my moderns for the past 30 odd years.
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Just about the try to fit the relays that Doug mentions earlier in this thread. I intend the cut off the two yellow H4 connectors and solder bullet connectors in their place to connect directly to the respective headlamps. I will then use one of the cut off yellow H4s and solder bullet connectors on to that to link in with the mail loom. I assume the red wire is a permanent live (with or without the existing fuse) and that the blue goes to a suitable earth point . I am no auto electrician so if this is wrong can someone correct me please. This kit is probably simple but there appears to be a lot of wires!!!
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Thanks Pete. Your advice is priceless. Will spend an hour trying to fit the headlight relays that I got on Doug's recommendation and mentioned on another thread earlier today. As for the spring, I was worried, not about doing the job, but the way things are going, breaking a stud with no chance of getting replacements before the weekend.
